Benedicta Arts Center facts for kids
| Address | 37 South College Avenue St. Joseph, Minnesota United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | College of Saint Benedict |
| Operator | College of Saint Benedict |
| Type | Performing arts center |
| Capacity | Escher Auditorium: 974 seats Gorecki Family Theater: 292 seats Coleman Black Box Theater: up to 120 seats |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Architect | Hammel, Green and Abrahamson |
The Benedicta Arts Center (BAC) is a special place for performances and art. It is located at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota. The Sisters of the Benedictine order built it in 1964. Since then, it has been a very important center for arts in Central Minnesota.
The BAC hosts many exciting shows. The Minnesota Orchestra performs here three times a year. Famous dance groups like Diavolo and Merce Cunningham Dance Company have also performed new works here.
This center is home to many college departments. It houses the Theater Department. Half of the music and art departments for the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University are also here. The building has two art galleries and a music library. There are also six classrooms for students. Other special areas include the Arlene Helgeson Dance Studio and the Darnell Amphitheater. The Book Arts Studio is also located here.
Escher Auditorium: A Big Stage for Performances
The Escher Auditorium is a large performance hall. It can seat 974 people. This space is used for concerts and theater shows. The back wall of the stage can be lifted. This reveals a traditional stage area. It is perfect for dance companies and big concerts.
The auditorium has two balcony levels. Each balcony can seat about 100 audience members. The main stage has special lifts. These lifts can go down to create space for an orchestra. They can also make more room for the audience.
This auditorium was once named Petters Auditorium. It was renamed after a large donation was returned to the college.
Gorecki Family Theater: A Flexible Space
The Gorecki Family Theater is another important venue. It shares its stage area with the Escher Auditorium. This is a very unique design for a theater.
This theater seats 292 people. It is used for performances by the CSB/SJU theater department. It also hosts lectures and smaller shows. The theater has a special hydraulic system. This system allows the stage and seating to change. It can be set up for both Proscenium and Thrust performances.
Famous Performers at the BAC
Many well-known artists have performed at the Benedicta Arts Center. They have appeared on either the Gorecki Stage or in the Escher Auditorium.
- Kathy Mattea
- Merce Cunningham Dance Company (2007, 2005)
- Diavolo Dance Company (2006, 2003)
- The Samul Nori Korean Drummers (2003)
- Trinity Irish Dance Company (2003)
- Preservation Hall Jazz Band (2007)
- Kronos Quartet (2006)
- In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater (2006)
- Michael Moschen (2006)
- Dianne Reeves (2006)
- Mark Morris Dance Group (2005)
- Luna Negra Dance Theater (2006)
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo (2007)
- Cherish the Ladies (2007)
- Ron K. Brown/EVIDENCE (2008)
- The Seán Curran Company (2008)
- Edgar Meyer (2008)
- Urban Bush Women (2008)
- Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder (2011)
- Natalie MacMaster (2011)
- Spirit of Uganda (2012)
- Keb' Mo' (2012)
- Soweto Gospel Choir (2014)
- Cirque Alfonse: TIMBER! (2015)
- Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn (2015)
